The AM387x Sitara ARM processors also present OEMs and ODMs with new levels of processor scalability and software reuse. An OEM or ODM who used the AM387x processors in a design and can make a similar product with added features could scale up to the pin-compatible and software-compatible TMS320DM814x processors from TI. The TMS320DM814x DaVinci video processors add a powerful C674x core DSP along with a video encoder and decoder to the hardware on the AM387x. Additionally, OEMs or ODMs that have used the AM387x or DM814x processors and find a need for a faster ARM and/or DSP core performance could scale up to the software-compatible AM389x or TMS320DM816x devices with higher core speeds.

Programmability is provided by an ARM Cortex-A8 RISC CPU with Neon extension. The ARM processor lets developers keep control functions separate from algorithms programmed on coprocessors, thus reducing the complexity of the system software. The ARM Cortex-A8 32-bit RISC core with Neon floating-point extension includes: 32KB of instruction cache; 32KB of data cache; 512KB of L2 cache; 48KB of boot ROM; and 64KB of RAM.

The AM387x Sitara ARM processors also include an SGX530 3D graphics engine to off-load many graphics processing tasks from the ARM core, making more ARM MIPS available for common processing tasks on algorithms. Additionally, the AM387x processor has a complete set of development tools for the ARM which include C compilers and a Microsoft Windows debugger interface for visibility into source code execution.

Features

High-Performance Sitara™ ARM® Processors

ARM Cortex®-A8 Core

ARMv7 Architecture

In-Order, Dual-Issue, Superscalar Processor Core

Neon™ Multimedia Architecture

Supports Integer and Floating Point

Jazelle® RCT Execution Environment

ARM Cortex-A8 Memory Architecture

32KB of Instruction and Data Caches

512KB of L2 Cache

64KB of RAM, 48KB of Boot ROM

128KB of On-Chip Memory Controller (OCMC) RAM

Imaging Subsystem (ISS)

Camera Sensor Connection

Parallel Connection for Raw (up to 16-Bit) and BT.656 or BT.1120 (8- and 16-Bit)